Moment CNN hosts erupt over Trump’s new AG pick Pam Bondi after Gaetz exit – before they’re destroyed on their own show

Donald Trump's new pick to lead the Justice Department sparked intense on-air tension, as CNN panelists clashed over the news on live air.

The president-elect chose former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi to be the next Attorney General after Matt Gaetz withdrew from his nomination on Thursday.

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Gaetz resigned, saying his nomination was a “distraction” from Trump's work due to the swirl of accusations against the former Florida representative who alleged he had sex with a minor.

He long denied the accusations but resigned from his position, leaving Bondi as the next person for the job, but CNN panelists were quick to ask questions about Bondi's qualifications for the job.

Choosing a controversial figure like Gaetz first may have been a strategic decision to make Bondi, who denied the results of the 2020 election, appear more stable, Washington Post columnist Dana Milbank said on a CNN show on Friday.

He added: “I do not want to attribute any strategy to the president-elect here, but it is genius to put Matt Gaetz out there as a stalking horse, and anyone who tolerates that will seem reasonable.” Milbank said.

He then criticized Trump's choices as a “vanity project,” adding: “This is an administration full of loyalists.”

Milbank went on to insist that none of his Cabinet nominees had relevant experience for their new roles.

'Wait a minute'

Then Republican strategist Brad Todd intervened and said that most presidents choose loyalists for their Cabinet picks.

CNN host Cassie Hunt and former White House communications director Kate Bedingfield supported Milbank in questioning Bondi's experience.

Todd then stepped in to defend Bondi's record.

“Wait a minute,” Todd said.

“Pam Bondi was the attorney general of one of the largest states in the country.

“Florida is an active state in multistate litigation. It has a long record here.”

Hunt then interrupted and said she was talking about Bundy's character rather than her experience.

Todd responded that Bondi's loyalty to Trump did not matter to GOP senators.

“I think every Republican senator, 53 years old, expects the attorney general to go into the Justice Department and raise eyebrows,” Todd said.

“I mean, Republicans don't believe that this agency is currently operating in a neutral, nonpartisan manner, and justice should be impartial.”

“So I think you must be hoping that Pam Bondi will go out there and do what Donald Trump wants, which is clean house,” he continued.

The US Sun has reached out to Bondi for comment.

Reactions to Trump's choice

Committee members' conflict over Bondi's experience comes as college professor Jason Johnson said on MSNBC that the former attorney general is someone to be “feared” because of her competence.

“We may not agree with her ideologically, but she actually knows how to do the job,” Johnson told MSNBC host Ari Melber.

“So, if anyone on the Democratic side or anyone who cares about freedom or justice is thinking, ‘Well, maybe Matt Gaetz will screw this up and buy us that time’ — no.

“Pam Bondi knows what she's doing.”

Republican Senator Lindsey Graham was also quick to praise Bondi.

He wrote on X that Bondi “will be confirmed quickly.”

He said Trump's choice was “the grand slam, the landing, the hole-in-one, the ace, the hat-trick, the knockout, and the Olympic gold medal pick.”

Meanwhile, Gaetz said on Charlie Kirk's podcast on Friday that a Trump administration would be “much more successful” with Bondi.

Gates's future on the political scene is unclear, but he joked that he would remain “in the battle, but it will be from a new position.”

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